Aromatherapy Chat

Harmony Body Cream

Some pointers on detecting synthetic oils:

• They don’t smell the same. No matter how hard chemist try to duplicate nature they always fall short.
• They don’t work the same. Check the results.
• Synthetics can cause allergic reactions such as skin rashes, headaches, sneezing, and possibly puffy eyes.
• Synthetics don’t smell like the real thing. Chemists often add some of the real oil to the cheaper synthetic oil to come close to the smell of the real essential oil. Or they may substitute a chemically derived compound that smells like the real thing.

Aromatherapists do not use synthetics in aromatherapy products!

Vasodiltor-    Dilates or widens the opening in a blood vessel.

Cypress French ( cupressus sempervirens)

Essential oils have many components or many tiny aromatic molecules. These molecules are detected by our sense of smell and we recognize each aroma as being distinct and unique from another aroma. However, some plants smell similar to each other or have a recognizable characteristic. For example, lemon peel, lemon eucalyptus, melissa, and lemongrass all have the lemon aroma. But these plants still smell distinctly different because their essential oils contain other compounds that are different from the lemon aroma. The wonders of nature has given us over 30,000 distinct aromatic compounds, each contributing to it’s own aroma and therapeutic, healing property. And then nature rearranges these aromatic compounds in many different ways to give us new fragrances. Amazing!

When we combine various essential oils in bath blends or massage blends we can increase the therapeutic qualities of the individual oils, (synergy blends).

Facial Toner (hydrosol) 

A hydrosol is the by-product of steam distillation. Usually the essential oils resulting from steam distillation separates from the water but some of the molecules that are water soluble stay with the water and result in an aromatic compound called a hydrosol. The hydrosol is very fragrant and therapeutic. It has many of the same properties as the essential oil in lower concentrations. The water with the aromatic molecules can then be used for many purposes. And, unlike essential oils, the hydrosol can be put directly on the skin. The hydrosol is usually dispensed into the air or on your skin via a spray bottle.

Some common uses of hydrosols include face moisturizer, facial toner, room freshener, sore throat spray, breath freshener, spray disinfectant, fruit wash, and even animal flea spray.

Rose water is the most common hydrosol spray along with orange water. More hydrosols sold in spray bottles, among others, are chamomile, Lavender, Sandalwood,  Lemon Verbana, and Geranium.

On the next blog I will introduce another way to produce fragrant waters.

Thanks to RelaxYrself for the blog entries while I was away.

Not all moisturizers are made alike. Some body creams may contain harmful ingredients that can irritate the skin. The safest bet is to choose an all-natural and organic body cream. Organic means the ingredients used are devoid of synthetic chemicals and pesticides that can be harmful to the skin.

Usually, organic products are a bit more expensive than synthetic ones. However, the benefits are more evident. You are assured your skin gets nourished properly. Also, your skin will be smoother and suppler after regular use.

Carrot Seed (Daucus carota)

Dry skin is one of the main causes of developing wrinkles and a bad complexion. Even when we are young we can develop dry skin, although young skin normally contains naturally moisturizing factors such as healthy oil glands. As we get older it becomes more necessary to treat our skins with moisturizing assistance. Using essential oils and aromatherapy products are a good way to do this.

Some other factors that take their toll on our skin and causes dryness and wrinkles are lack of exercise, alcohol consumption, poor diet, faulty digestion, sluggish liver, smoking, fair skin (burns easily in the sun and dries more quickly in the wind), and stress.

So it makes sense to do all you can to stay healthy which, among other things, results in good looking skin. And good skin care products used regularly is also important.

Some essential oils blended with organic carrier oils that are especially helpful for skin care are Carrot seed, Frankincense, Geranium, Rosemary, Neroli, and Lavender.

Aromatherapy Terminology and Properties for the Day.

Essential Oil Property:

Hepatic - Stimulates and promotes the well being of the liver and gall bladder.

Essential Oils that can be used as a Hepatic:

Angelica, Grapefruit, Helichrysum, Lemon, Peppermint, Verbana, Carrot Seed, Chamomile, Cypress, Rose, Violet leaf.

Ravensara (Ravensara aromatica) 

Organic body creams  with pure essential oils are always better to use than creams that have chemicals such as Decyl alcohol or methy-paraben. Most of these chemicals are not  safe to use and some are truly questionable. Natural body creams can have Cocoa, Shea and Mango butters, certified organic Jojoba, Hempseed and Calendula oils.  Depending on what you are looking for, the essential oils that the body creams  contain might be Lavender, Rose, Grapefruit, Jasmine, and Mandarin, and Neroli.

One of my favorites is a formula by Healing Scents called Bliss.

Aromatherapy Terminology and Properties for the Day.

Essential Oil Property:

Nervine - strengthen, calms and soothes the nerves.

Essential Oils that can be used as a Nervine:

Basil, Chamomile, Clary Sage, Lavender, Linden Blossom, Marjoram, Melissa, Peppermint, Ravensara, Rosemary, Sandalwood, Veviter